The narrator of the story "The Ghost Soldiers" says, "When you're afraid, really afraid, you see things you never saw before, you pay attention to the world." What might he mean by this?
Discuss O'Brien's war injuries and want he wants revenge on Bobby Jorgenson.
Examine O'Brien's reaction to being reassigned away from the heat of battle and what happens when the men from Alpha Company return to base.
Discuss O'Brien's meeting with Jorgenson and O'Brien's and Azar's plan for revenge.
How has O'Brien changed throughout the war?
When I read the quote, “When you’re afraid, really afraid, you see things you never saw before, you pay attention to the world,” I immediately think of how when you’re afraid, you look for more things to fear. For example, a person who is afraid of the dark might never question how an old house creaks in the daytime. It’s just noise in the background of life that you barely notice. In the dark though, they begin to notice that creak and they fear it, just because they are already afraid.
ReplyDeleteDuring the war, O’Brien was shot twice. The first time he was treated by Rat Kiley, who did an excellent job. The second time he was treated by Jorgenson, who forgot to treat for shock, almost resulting in O’Brien’s death. His second injury resulted in being taken away from Alpha Company and all his friends and he couldn’t forgive Jorgenson for it. O’Brien wanted revenge badly; especially when Alpha Company came to visit and he realized he no longer belonged with them. He taunted and tormented Jorgenson, something he probably wouldn’t have even thought of doing before the war, but the war changed him. He went from an intelligent and thoughtful person to someone who could be plain cruel at times.
When O'Brien was injured he was angered at the new medic Bobby Jorgenson. Bobby panicked when O'Brien was injured. When Bobby panicked he was unable to move to O'Brien and it caused him to mess up. This caused O'Brien to suffer a "diaper rash" which was humiliating for him. O'Brien blamed his humiliation on Bobby who messed up. O'Brien wanted revenge on Jorgenson for the humiliation. O'Brien asks Sanders to help him in his revenge but he refuses. O'Brien then asks Azar to help. O'Brien is satisfied with with revenge part way through their plan but Azar wants to finish. O'Brien realizes that his revenge is going to far and starts to regret it.
ReplyDeleteO'Brien is brought back to base after being injured. When Alpha Company returns O'Brien feels left out. He feels that he has missed too much being injured while his friends were fighting.
Regarding the quote in the "Ghost Soldiers" story, the narrator may be making another attempt at explaining the true worldly awareness that is experienced after fear. It is mentioned multiple times in the novel that after a firefight or any other near-death experience, the soldiers pass through a phase of true appreciation for all life.
ReplyDeleteDuring a firefight, O'Brien gets shot and, due to Jorgenson's understandable error, nearly dies from the shock. O'Brien is outraged and unforgiving over Jorgenson's hesitation, even though it was Jorgenson's first predicament. After O'Brien's injury, he is transported away to a safer, more suitable climate. During his hiatus, O'Brien's company visits him and something does not click. Their original brotherhood or chemistry is almost nonexistent. During O'Brien's recovery, he also plots and executes his revenge on Jorgenson. As Kayla previously mentioned, and I agree with, the war spun O'Brien in a direction he never thought he could find himself in. Before the war, O'Brien was a liberal, sympathetic young man. Innocent. As the war continued and came to a stop, O'Brien realized the amount of brutality he could possess.
The quote in "Ghost Soldier" gives the impression that fear makes you look for things that aren't actually there. One's own paranoia can make shadows look like terrifying monsters and rattling cans sound like a raspy breathe. By "paying attention to the world" a person becomes on edge by a subtle noise as if they were a wild animal.
ReplyDeleteO'Brien was first shot in the side and second in the hip. During the second shot O'Brien was bleeding out a lot and he cried for a medic. Jorgenson was inexperienced and afraid so it took him quite a while to make it over to O'Brien. O'Brien was in shcok and Jorgenson did a poor job treating his injuries, resulting in gangrene. After being reassigned, O'Brien felt left out of the action. His friends came for supplies, and although he laughed with them, he felt as if he didn't belong anymore. When O'Brien meets with Jorgenson, Jorgenson asks for forgiveness and offers a handshake. O'Brien is annoyed because he can't keep hating the man, but he still wants revenge. O'Brien plans to torture him psychologically. He and Azar set up traps that make noise and launch flares to make Jorgenson feel the same fears of war and death that O'Brien felt.
O'Brien was changed a great deal by the war. Before, he was empathetic and kind. He was a college student ready to start a new life. After the war however, he described himself as mean, bordering on cruel. The war brought out more instinct and violence then he thought he himself possessed.
When you are afraid, your senses become more enhanced. Your fears make you more in tune with your surrounding-- sights, sounds, real, or imagined. When O'Brien was shot for the second time and Bobby would not quite get up the nerve to rush over to him fast enough, Tim felt the fear of dying, "how the sound of the gunshot arrives about ten years later, and the dizzy feeling, the smell of yourself... and how you start thinking, Oh man, that's the last thing I'll ever see". He wanted to make Bobby feel the same terror that he felt and that maybe they would be even.
ReplyDeleteWhen he gets reassigned, O'Brien feels out of the company, away from his brothers, and he wants revenge on Jorgenson. However, when the Alpha Company returns, he listens to their stories-- particularly about a soldier who, after going for a swim, contracted a disease that was later treated by Jorgenson. O'Brien still wanted to get back at him, but Sanders advised against it and told him that he was no longer apart of the company.
When O'Brien runs into Jorgenson, who apologizes for his inadequate treatment on O'Brien's gunshot wound, he begins to feel guilty, and hates Jorgenson even more for making him feel that remorse. So O'Brien's revenge plan with Azar is to frighten Jorgenson, by bringing out the childhood fears that everyone has, to make him feel how afraid he felt when he thought that he was going to die.
The cruel, horrible experiences of war has corrupted O'Brien's view of the world. He yearns for revenge and is forced to hurt to subside the hurt.
I think the quote, "when you're afraid, really afraid, you see things you've never saw before", means that when you're afraid your fear builds off itself. Like when you're walking home late at night and you hear a noise, then see movement, until you're so scared of nothing that you're running home like a madmen.
ReplyDeleteO'Brien was shot twice, and the second injury almost killed him. He was shot in the butt, and the medic, Bobby Jorgenson, was too afraid to run over and help him, and O'Brien almost died of shock. This injury, in fact, got him taken out of his company. O'Brien hates Jorgenson for this separation from his friends and the humiliating infection in his butt. So when the company returns and Jorgenson has practically taken him place he wants revenge.
His plan is to scare Jorenson while he's on watch. This psychological warfare on Jorgenson proves O'Brien is a different man. In the begining of the war he refuses to mess with the dead VC, but now he is willing to pull a dangerous, and cruel prank.
The quote, "When you're afraid, really afraid, you see things you never saw before, you pay attention to the world", means to me that when you're scared you hear and see stuff you wouldn't normally pay attention to. Your fear starts to imagine things worst than what they seem and you hear every little noise clearer.
ReplyDeleteO'Brien was shot twice during the war. The second time he was shot in the butt which almost cost him his life because the new medic at that time, Bobby Jorgenson, took a long time to get over to O'Brien and then forgot to treat him for shock. The injury resulted in O'Brien being reassigned and from then on out O'Brien couldn't stand the thought of Jorgenson because he was the one that took him from his friends and almost let him die. When the Alpha company returns, O'Brien quickly sees he has been replaced and doesn't belong so he plans to get revenge on Jorgenson. This shows how much O'Brien has changed because in the beginning of the war he was sympathetic and innocent, but in the end he was willing to pull a dangerous prank on someone just for revenge.
This means that people aren't as attentive and worried about every detail until they're frightened. Things that never cross people's minds immediately do so when they're scared. You start to think about everything going on around you and possible outcomes. When O'Brien had been shot he described all of the possible things you could see or here while you're on the verge of death. Wondering if they will be the last things you ever see, hear, etc. After Tim was shot the only person available to come to his aid was Bobby Jorgenson who was new at the time and was in a way clueless when it came to Tim's injury. Tim wanted to give him instructions of what to do but he was so in shock, he couldn't even utter the words to Bobby. When Tim is reassigned he starts to feel as if he no longer belongs with the rest of the soldiers. He misses being involved in combat. When the men return he feels as if he is somewhat alienated and is unable to find anyone willing to participate in his planned revenge against Bobby except Azar. When O' Brien meets with Jorgenson you're able to feel the tension surrounding them. Bobby tries to apologize to Tim but O'Brien storms off resenting Jorgenson for making him feel guilty and for forgiving him. Tim and Azar get their revenge by moving ropes around the spot Bobby has occupied for night patrol and lighting flares to spook him. This gives the illusion that there is an enemy near by. Azar takes the revenge even further by making a white sandbag move followed by ghostly sounds. Bobby starts to fire at the object until he realizes its Azar and O'Brien. Later both Bobby and Tim discuss what has happened and come to terms that they have both experienced the intense feeling of being so scared for their lives and believe that they're equal now. O'Brien describes how the war has caused him to become more of an angry, vengeful/spiteful person. He mentions how he never would've acted this way before the war as well.
ReplyDeleteI believe the quote, “When you are afraid, really afraid, you see things you never saw before, you pay attention to the world,” means that one’s senses are heightened in a time of fear and they are susceptible to seeing, hearing, feeling, and smelling things they may have never known existed. O’Brien had been shot twice. The first time was not a very painful experience because the medic, Rat Kiley, provided quick and effective treatment. The second time he had been shot almost brought him to his death. His medic, Bobby Jorgenson, didn’t provide immediate treatment and neglected to treat him for shock. This experience left O’Brien bitter and wanting revenge on Jorgenson. After being shot the second time, O’Brien was reassigned to a job with much less action. Despite the new job perks, like never being in real danger and eating well all the time, he missed the feeling of really feeling alive out in the boonies. Also, when his old Alpha Company returns to his base he no longer has that deep connection to them.
ReplyDeleteO’Brien met with Jorgenson some time after his accident and Jorgenson apologized for his mistake while treating him, but O’Brien felt no closure. He still needed to get him back for what he did, so he got together with Azar and devised a plan. They decided to scare Jorgenson on his night shift with a couple traps. At the start of the war O’Brien was a timid man that withheld innocence, but by the end he grew tough and even brutal at times.
"When you're afraid, really afraid, you see things you never saw before, you pay attention to the world." I believe that this quote is undoubtedly true. What humans fear most is the fear of the unknown. When you walk into a dark alley in the middle of the night, your imagination begins to run wild and all you can think of are dreadful scenarios that may never come true. You may start to hear sounds, sounds that may be just a creak, but still make your hair stand on end. Walking through the darkened alley you may feel someone behind you, but nobody may be behind you at all. Imagination intensifies fear of the unknown.
ReplyDeleteWhen O'Brien is first injured in war, Rat Kiley came back tp help him more often than the second time when rookie, Bobby Jorgenson, came to assistance. When O'Brien was re-assigned, he missed the "real" battle, and swore his revenge on Jorgenson. When his men from Alpha company return to base he realizes that he went from being part of the family to being a friend to the family. This again made him hate Jorgenson more. O'Brien and Azar planned to seek revenge on Jorgenson. At night, when it was pitch-black, they toyed with his senses, allowing his imaginaton to run wild. After scaring Jorgenson half to death, O'Brien and Jorgenson agreed that they were even.
I believe the meaning of the quote from Ghost Soldiers can be explained in two ways. One quite literal way that says that the adrenaline released in times of fear can heighten your senses and allow you to experience a greater awareness of the things happening around you. Other than that interpretation you can read he quote and get a completely different message; when you truly experience fear, you begin to notice things around you because you’re afraid that you might never see them again. O’Brien uses this idea many times throughout the novel saying that one’s closeness to life and death are directly proportionate. The narrator experiences two war injuries, the first was treated expertly by Rat Kiley, and the second wound was botched by inexperienced medic, Bobby Jorgenson. Perhaps the only reason that O’Brien was so angry about Jorgenson’s mess up was because he was being compared to Rat’s expertise in the field which was impossible to live up to. After being bedridden and taken out of Alpha Company, O’Brien’s mind is filled with getting revenge on Bobby Jorgenson. This hatred comes from the fact that Jorgenson forgot to treat for O’Brien’s shock, and that it took him very long time to get the courage to go and help his wounded comrade. After being shot, O’Brien spends his next months at a base where his work is quite dull and risk free when compared to his service out humping on the front lines. As a result of his relocation, the men of Alpha Company stop treating him as a brother and more like a stranger, Michael Sanders even blatantly says that Jorgenson is ‘in’ and O’Brien is ‘out’. Things begin to get complicated when Tim and Bobby meet at the base; in his mind, he has built up Bobby to be a scumbag of epic proportions (which helps fuel the need for revenge) but when he realizes that Jorgensen is like any other soldier, it becomes harder for him to hate him. But being the way he is, O’Brien would be too embarrassed to back out of his plans since he has already told a few of the men that he wants revenge, so he goes along half-heartedly. O’Brien recruits the soldier with the most questionable morals to help him scare Jorgenson, Azar. Simplified, O’Brien’s plan of revenge is to make Jorgenson feel what he did in the 10 minutes after he was shot; the fear of imminent death. They do this by setting up many rigs to simulate enemy activity by Jorgenson’s night-watch post. At the end of the scare, Jorgenson and O’Brien do achieve a better understanding and respect for each other. During this period of the war, the narrator realizes that the war has desensitized him to brutal and malicious activities which he would have not stood for before his time as a soldier.
ReplyDeleteWhen the narrator of "The Ghost Soldiers" put the idea in my mind, I couldn't agree any more. That quote means that when you are afraid, you are typically worried for your safety and well-being. If you think that something bad is about to happen to you, you take everything in. Every sight, every smell, every feeling, it seems to enter your senses in slow motion. You find yourself savoring every moment that could be your last. Being afraid is an emotion that makes you pay attention to every little detail, anything that could be your last experience on this world. O'Brien experienced two life-threatening fearful events, both times being shot. The first time he was shot, Rat Kiley fixed him up and he barely hurt. The second time he was shot, Bobby Jorgenson almost allowed him to die. Even though O'Brien himself was scared, he didn't expect a trained medic to be experiencing the exact same fear that he was feeling as he slipped away. He wanted revenge on Bobby Jorgenson because Bobby could have helped him if he had treated him for shock right away. O'Brien expects a lot from his medics since he once had Rat Kiley to help him out. O'Brien was not happy about his being taken away from war. When the men of Alpha Company return, he feels like an outsider. He is all nice and safe and taken care of while his former brothers are out there taking heat. He envied them because he now feels a sort of separation from them. O'Brien's meeting with Jorgenson went well in a way, but it also infuriated O'Brien even more. Jorgenson apologized, and it made sense to O'Brien, but he still felt like he should hate Jorgenson for all of the pain and suffering that he went through. O'Brien and Azar's plan to seek revenge on Jorgenson was silly, but O'Brien thought he would feel some sort of satisfaction from it. In the end, he felt kind of even with Jorgenson after scaring him. He wanted to make Jorgenson feel the fear that he felt when his life was slipping through his fingers. O'Brien has changed in the way that he was so ready to hurt somebody like that and seek "an eye for an eye" revenge. He has hardened into somebody who isn't bothered by the simple things of war.
ReplyDeleteWhen I read the quote, "When you're afraid, really afraid, you see things you never saw before, you pay attention to the world." I instantly thought of after you watch a scary movie because you start to hear things that aren't actually there and you work yourself up to believe that something that happened in the movie could actually happen to you in real life. Fear in this way could also cause you to be traumatized. When O'Brien was shot both times they were both very traumatizing experiences for him. When he was shot the first time in Tri Binh, O’Brien fell right into the lap of Rat Kiley. He treated O’Brien’s gunshot and then he went back into the fighting. O’Brien was very relaxed until he started to fear that he was going to die. he second time he was shot, Bobby Jorgenson took almost ten minutes to get to him. He was so used to having Rat Kiley as his medic that he was very upset by Bobby. Bobby Jorgenson was too scared to crawl over to help him with his gunshot. O'Brien almost died of shock. Bobby Jorgenson didn't do a good job patching up the gunshot and O'Brien's wound started to peel away from infection. O'Brien wanted to hate Jorgenson and wanted revenge. This causes Azar and Tim to devise a plan to scare Bobby when he is on his night shift. After they do the revenge, Tim feels as though they are now even. From the beginning of the book, Tim has changed a lot. He has become more angry and vengeful toward more things than he was before the war.
ReplyDeleteI think the quote means that when you are scared of something, you pay more attention to noises and movements around you. An example would be when you watch a scary movie, and try to sleep later that night, and think about the things that happen in that movie and freak out at every little sound and movement that goes on that isn't caused by you. Your senses are heightened when you're afraid causing you to be more aware.
ReplyDeleteO'Brien was shot the first time and was treated by Rat Kiley, who treated him immediately and knew what to do. He was okay and could still serve in the war afterwards. The second time, he was shot in the butt and was treated by Bobby Jorgenson who got to him 10 minutes later and did not know to treat him for shock. O'Brien wants revenge on Jorgenson because he could have died from shock, and his wound started peelings away because of the infection.
When O'Brian was reassigned away from the war, he was upset. When the men from Alpha Company return to base, he realizes that he isn't a part of "the group" anymore and wants to fit in so hard even though it's impossible for him to now.
After his meeting with Jorgenson, he didn't hate Jorgenson for his injuries anymore, he hated him because Jorgenson's apology made him not hate him. He plotted revenge with Azar. He wanted Jorgenson to feel fear, so him and Azar make loud noises outside where Jorgenson is on his night shift. During their revenge, O'Brien realizes it's silly and feels guilty about it. Afterwards, him and Jorgenson are even.
O'Brien is more angry after the war.
“When you’re afraid, really afraid, you see things you never saw before, you pay attention to the world.” This quote is saying that when one is truly afraid they see things they originally didn’t believe were important. Things in our world that were once overlooked now become significant, and when one is afraid they begin to look around and see what’s real, what’s fake, and what really matters.
ReplyDeleteO’Brien’s war injuries have left him incapable of continuing on as he used to be. He can still walk and talk but now he cannot be out in the crazy adventure of war, he cannot be who he used to be. When O’Brien is first reassigned he felt like he was living the good life. After all, he no longer had to deal with having to constantly watch his back for the enemy, but he slowly begins to miss what he used to do. Then when his company returns he feels left out because he no longer belonged with them, and he wants to take action against the man who has caused him this pain and suffering, Bobby Jorgenson. First, Jorgenson almost left O’Brien for dead out in battle, and now he has replaced O’Brien in his own group of friends. In seeking revenge against Jorgenson, O’Brien wished to scare him and make him feel some of the pain that he did but in doing so it only made O’Brien feel regret for what he was doing. He realized that it was childish and that there was nothing he could do to change what had happened except to make amends with Jorgenson. O’Brien once was a young kid, who was scared of war and what it held, but during the war this kid grew up into someone who realized how important it was to always have your buddy’s back, that not everything can be changed, and that violence and revenge is not the answer.
What O'Brien means when he says that quote is that when you're afraid of something, say, a lurker in the woods, you look for every sign of where said lurker might be. Every shadow, every twig snap, registers as a sign. This is because an unknown fear is much scarier than a known one.
ReplyDeleteO'Brien has two main injuries in the war, both by gunshot; the first time, it was dealt with quickly by Rat Kiley. The second time, he was shot in the butt, and took a long time for the new medic, Bobby Jorgenson, to deal with it, and even then he dealt with it badly. This is part of the reason O'Brien wants revenge on Jorgenson.
At first, O'Brien is fine with the reassignment. Then he starts to miss the excitement of being in the field. Then Alpha Company returns to the base. When that happens, O'Brien can see that he is no longer a part of that group, and not only that, but Bobby Jorgenson has taken his place. This is also part of the reason O'Brien wants revenge on Jorgenson.
When O'Brien finally gets to talk to Jorgenson, Jorgenson apologizes profusely, but he kept his composure, which gives O'Brien reason to keep hating him. The plan for revenge was just to scare Jorgenson, and it was successful. They used ammo cans to make noise, trip flares to freak him out, and a sandbag painted white to finish it off. Jorgenson realizes what's going on when the sandbag comes down. He then talks with O'Brien again, and the two are declared even.
O'Brien himself states that the war made him cold and cruel. That it made him capable of evil. That after the rage against Jorgenson had subsided, there was still the cold, clinical thought that Jorgenson "needed consequences" for what he had done.
Fear is inevitable. As a human instinct, we familiarize ourselves with routines and organize and plan our next steps. When we come across something in our life that is new and different, we try to receive as much knowledge as possible and end up with all of our senses cranked up to HIGH ALERT. O'Brien experiences this alertness when he lays on the ground in pain and shock, waiting for Jorgenson, the new medic, to build up his courage to help. Just like the emotions of fear and courage, hate can build up also. After being sent to 91st Evac Hospital to heal up, O'Brien was sent to a battalion supply station. It was there that he eventually met up with the Alpha Company. During all this time, he suffered pain from the wound, embarrassment from where the wound was, loneliness from being reassigned away from this brothers, and the loss of the danger that "has a way of bringing you fully awake" (183). Even when Jorgenson finally apologizes for all the trouble he gave O'Brien, it isn't enough. O'Brien gives Jorgenson the gift of a near-death experience: real fear. This revenge ultimately helps O'Brien cope with the change caused by Jorgenson. Throughout the war, O'Brien changes from being just a kid to a guy dealing with war deaths to a man with washed out morals and a keen sense of life and death. This is true, but it is also true that to say that this is also how O'Brien changed throughout his life. War is often equated with death, but war is also soldiers' lives. O'Brien was still growing up when he became a soldier, and he continued to find the lessons of life in war. He changed just as civilians changed during their lives; he became more intelligent, learned new skills, and flat-out survived.
ReplyDeleteHe means you're more vigil when you're afraid. This is because your senses are extra sensitive because your sense of security is gone so you pay more attention to defend yourself.
ReplyDeleteO'Brien was shot in the booty and was lying there in shock. Jorgenson was the medic on the field and he sat there and did nothing for ten minutes while O'Brien was in pain. Because of the lack of treatment at the time O'Brien's injuries did not heal quickly or healthily. He got an infection and he was in pain for a long time and had to sleep on his stomach. He wanted to get back at Jorgenson because he hated that he just stood there and did nothing because he was new at his job, his legs wouldn't move, and he had no idea what to do. O'Brien wants to get back at him. He plays a trick on him by setting up flares around his post and tries to scare him and he succeeds and Jorgenson was scared out of his mind.
O'Brien's reactions to being reassigned were that he was happy to be out of the danger zone and somewhere where and attack was once a month and he was in little to no danger at all. He was pleased but he was also slightly bored. But when he returns to base people aren't as friendly with him because he isn't one of them anymore so they treat him like an outsider and not as an equal. Unlike Jorgenson who is one of them now. O'Brien goes to talk to Jorgenson that night and he tries to hate him but because of what Jorgenson said he couldn't hate him for what he did. After all he was new at his job and he wasn't going to be as good as Rat Kiley at that point in time but he is excellent now. Jorgenson explained that his legs wouldn't move, he wanted to help O'Brien but he just couldn't and he feels awful and guilty about it. O'Brien hates him for not making him hate him even though he so badly wants to. He still wants to get even. And with Azar he plans to and he plays a trick on him to scare him to death. O'Brien has changed throughout the war from a young man to a good man with lots of experience.
I think that O’Brien is referring to a time in one’s life, especially a soldier’s when they are subjected to something that amazes them, causes severe trauma, or causes panic to such an extent that the person develops that so called “sixth sense”. Time slows down, you recognize all of the little things around you as if you were stepping into the Creators shoes for a moment, and you know everything there is to know about anything for this short period of time. You can take it all in and see things your conscience mind never recognized or thought about, threats seem to disappear and you feel less vulnerable, like you are one with the earth. This “happened” to Tim O’Brien when he was shot for the second time. He was truly afraid he would die right there that night on that battlefield. Not because of a mistake he made, no, but because of Bobby Jorgenson’s failure to perform under the pressure of his first firefight as a medic. His mind skipped and he didn’t think to treat O’Brien for shock! O’Brien made it out alive and was shipped away to a less vulnerable outpost, one far away from his brothers in the jungle. O’Brien hates being safe, he lost the adrenaline rush of being alive out in the wilderness, where the unexplainable happens on a daily basis. It became an addiction to him. Now since Bobby’s numbskull mistakes almost killed O’Brien, and separated him from his mates in battle, he felt he needed to get revenge. He needed Bobby to be as scared as he was, to feel that scary feeling of “paying attention to the world”. Once Alpha Co. came back to base, O’Brien felt like a stranger. He was no longer a brother; he was out of the loop. Sort of like what you feel after you and your best friend drift apart. And he drifts even further from his long lost brothers when he tries to get an accomplice to help get revenge on Bobby. Finally Azar helped him out and their plan went south when Jorgenson realized what was going on. He once again made Tim feel like a fool. So they made up and things were even. O’Brien changed after this because he lost touch with his addiction; the rush of insanity from being at war with “Ghosts”. He was no longer one with the earth, he was just a civilian. A plain civil human.
ReplyDeleteYou start to pay attention to the little things in life, not just the big things that happen in your life. Someone might see their life flash before their eyes if they truly are afraid that death could be near. O’Brien was shot in the head for the first time and Kiley managed to save his life, but then Kiley was reassigned to a different squad, he was replaced with Bobby Jorgenson. O’Brien holds a grudge against Jorgenson because when he was shot in the head for the second time, Jorgenson failed to treat his shock which made it much more painful for O’Brien. When O’Brien is reassigned to a supply battalion, he still harbors unmerciful revenge against Jorgenson. So when the Alpha Company returns he tried to get some friend to help him get revenge on Jorgenson, but only Azar was willing to help him. Their plan was to scare Jorgenson in order to get revenge with a flare and moving white sandbag, but Jorgenson doesn’t freak out and actually calls O’Brien by name. When Azar realizes the plan failed, he kicks O’Brien in the head and calls him worthless. Jorgenson and O’Brien called it even after that and are no longer angry with one another. O’Brien’s more easy-going personality was clouded by his need for revenge on Jorgenson that he would have killed him if he hadn’t had time to think everything over.
ReplyDeleteWhat O’Brien means when he says “When you're afraid, really afraid, you see things you never saw before, you pay attention to the world.” is that when you are afraid or scared of something that threatens your wellbeing or even your life you become more alert to the things that are going on around you. It is a human’s natural instinct to become more alert when threatened which forces a person to look at their surroundings more in depth.
ReplyDeleteThroughout the war O’Brien sustains two major gunshot wounds. The first wound being not as serious as the second was tended to my fellow solider Rat Kiley. The second time O’Brien had been shot it was in the butt. Unlike the first wound, it was not dealt with in an orderly manner. The new medic, Bobby Jorgenson, had many difficulties cleaning the wound which frustrated O’Brien.
Not only does Bobby Jorgenson deal with O’Brien’s wounds poorly but he also takes his place in the Alpha Company. When O’Brien was first reassigned he was understanding and ok with it although he missed being on the field, but when he finds out that Jorgensen has taken his place he becomes angry and wants revenge.
When O’Brien and Jorgenson talk about what has happened Jorgenson apologizes but does not seem sincere. O’Brien continues to hate Jorgenson which leads to him and Azar to scaring him into submission. The two men place trip flares and ammo to create loud noises and paint sand bags white as the final touch to their prank. Jorgenson and O’Brien talk again after the prank and they both call truce.
Like most men O’Brien knows that war has turned him into a cold killer. Before the war he had been a college student taking his first steps into the new world ready to begin his life but everything that he had been was changed in war.
When O'Brien says this quote about being afraid and paying attention, he means that a person feels for his life. A person thinks about what is going on in his life, and understands himself and understands his situation, how threatened he is when a person becomes scared. O'Brien tells himself this knowing that when it comes down to being afraid and scared, you simply understand things, and what is out there that could kill you. You start to imagine and see this things because you understand that your afraid and you wish these things were never near. O'Brien took two bullets while in the war, the first was minor and well treated, but the second resulted in his pulling from the front lines, from the action. O'Brien knows the feel and thrill of being out there and afraid and was used to it, had accepted it and understood it, and knowing that was taken away from him makes it hard to cope with. It is because of Jorgenson's inexperience that not only did O'Brien nearly die, but he was pulled from the combat he became comfortable with and that just increases O'Brien's anger towards Jorgenson. It was hard not being in action and seeing his comrades return from action took a toll knowing that he was replaced, that he no longer fit in. This frustration was simply pinned on Jorgenson so that upon meeting him O'Brien couldn't accept an apology, but plans for revenge. We hear that when he started in a war, he couldn't look at a body, it wasn't right to him. The thrill of the action became a normal feeling and he grew with it, it developed in him, but with that being taken away, he needed a form of action to take, a way to get back in it, so his plan for revenge just brought him closer to realizing that he is not in it anymore, and he must accept that.
ReplyDeleteWhile reading the quote, I believe the narrator means that when you’re afraid, you start to see the little things in life. You start to notice the miniscule details that you may have taken for granted before fear took over you. O’Brien’s war injuries were much deeper than being shot twice, one leading to his flesh rotting on his butt. He had mental injuries. O’Brien became hollow and less compassionate for other people. This is why he wanted revenge on Bobby Jorgenson so badly. O’Brien has been in the war longer than Bobby, so when he was shot, O’Brien expected Bobby to act like Rat and tend to his wounds right away. Instead, Bobby reacted slowly, messed up the patch job, and even forgot to treat for shock. No compassion was allotted to Bobby even though he was new in his shiny boots. O’Brien didn’t care that this was his first fire-fight. He was taken away from his friends on the battlefield because of Bobby’s mistakes and he wanted revenge. When the men from Alpha Company returned to base, they told stories of the war while O’Brien was gone and he felt left out. He didn’t like the fact that Bobby was considered one of them and he was an outsider after all the time and all the experiences the men shared together. O’Brien’s meeting with Bobby Jorgenson was awkward. Bobby apologized and said he has had nightmares about it but O’Brien was stone cold and didn’t want to hear any excuses. He hated Bobby even more for making him stop hating him. The plan O’Brien and Azar created for revenge was simple, mess with Bobby’s head and spook him while he was on night duty. They used ropes and pulleys to create spooky sounds. The plan backfired when Azar raised the white painted sandbag-ghost and Bobby didn’t go nuts. He took aim and fired at the sandbag while seeming relaxed. He was relaxed until he turned around and shouted O’Brien’s name. Vietnam brought out the more violent side of O’Brien. He is now hardened and less emotional than he was before the war started.
ReplyDeleteThe narrator of "The Ghost Soldiers" says, "When you're afraid, really afraid, you see things you never saw before, you pay attention to the world." What he means by this is that when you start to get afraid you're imagination takes over. You play out a bunch of different worst case scenarios in your head, and you can't think straight.
ReplyDeleteDuring the war, O'Brien was shot in the butt. He was in serious pain and was screaming for a medic. Unfortunately for him, there old medic, Rat Kiley, was no longer with them, so he had to settle for the newcomer, Bobby Jorgenson. It was Bobby's first firefight, and despite O'Brien's screaming, he could not bring himself to go tend to O'Brien's wounds. After several minutes, Bobby was finally able to go tend to O'Brien, but Bobby's fingers were so shaky that he botched the whole thing. This didn't sit well with O'Brien.
Due to O'Brien's wounds, he is reassigned away from battle. He didn't expect to feel this way, but O'Brien actually missed the heat of battle, being with the guys, and even the dangerous aspect of war.
When Jorgenson and the other soldiers return to base from battle Jorgenson meets O'Brien at his Jeep. Bobby apologizes for what happened but O'Brien wasn't buying it. Instead he starts devising a plan to get back at Bobby. He wants to scare him, so he gets the help of Azar. The prank went well until Azar went too far by throwing tear gas grenades over by Jorgenson's bunker. O'Brien told him to stop but Azar wanted to finish what he had started. After Bobby found out that it was O'Brien, O'Brien apologized and said that they were even, and that he wanted to get back at Azar for taking the prank too far.
The war changed O'Brien. Throughout the war he starts to lose his morals. He will do almost anything to stay alive. The sight of dead bodies doesn't scare him anymore.
In "The Ghost Soldiers" Tim O'Brien says that "When you're afraid, really afraid, you see things you never saw before, you pay attention to the world." By this, I think he meant that while experiencing something you're afraid of, you quickly become terrified of everything else that seemed normal to you before. For example, during the day, if you're taking a walk and you see a dog, you may feel sympathy and want to help it find its home, or you may want to pet it and keep it if it has no collar. But, change your scenery. Say you have an intense fear of the dark and you're taking a walk in the middle of the night and you see a dog. Rationally, your thoughts should be the same, poor dog, he's lost, he needs a home. But, what's rational about fears? So, your immediate thoughts are that it's going to chase you, attack you, it has rabies, it's a carnivore, you're not going to make it home. And, not only do you fear this stray dog, but now you fear the sidewalk behind you because you hear someone following you when, in reality, it's only the leaves rustling in the wind. You fear the cars that pass by a bit too close and too slowly because, obviously, they're going to kidnap you, when, in reality, it's just your neighbor returning from a late shift. Your mind multiplies your fears and turns you into an irrational being, afraid out of your mind of every little thing you see and hear.
ReplyDeleteO'Brien wanted revenge on Jorgenson for almost killing him. From being shot twice, O'Brien knew that playing on one's fears is the best way to mess with their mind. Jorgenson was on guard, already on high alert, already questioning every sound because that was his job for the time being. O'Brien simply multiplied his fears with "ghost sounds", rustling cans that sounded like heavy breathing, flares that alerted false danger, sandbags that looked like bodies approaching. When Bobby figured it out, he wasn't angry, he didn't hold a grudge. He understood that O'Brien just wanted him to feel what he had felt when he was shot and was left untreated because of someone else's fears. In the end, there were no hard feelings, because they both understood.
Imagine being unable to sleep late at night in a room so dark that you cannot see your hand in front of your face. You begin to hear things you never did before because you are simply listening with more intent. The sounds of the hallway creaking as your dog wanders through seem so much more eerie. You may even imagine that those creaking noises are evidence of an intruder in your home. When you're afraid your senses become heightened along with your imagination.
ReplyDeleteO'Brien decides that he wants revenge on Bobby Jorgenson after he is shot in the hind and Bobby forgets to treat him for shock and he develops gangrene. The plan involves scaring Bobby into thinking that there are intruders while he is on watch duty one night.
When O'Brien is reassigned after his injury he becomes a part of a new platoon and is no longer a part of the Alpha Company. He feels betrayed by his old platoon because they no longer accept him as a part of their family.
When the narrator of "The Ghost Soldiers" said, "When you're afraid, really afraid, you see things you never saw before, you pay attention to the world," I think he meant you start looking at all the little things in life. You look and think this may be the last think I ever see. You start to over analyze all the small things and begin to fear that these are the last things you will ever see. You begin to appreciate all of the smallest things in life. He mentions these feelings when he talks about him getting shot twice. The first time he was shot in the side, and his good friend, Rat Keliey, helped him out a lot and took good care of him. The second time he was shot in the butt. But this time, he had a new medic who had never been in war before, Jorgenson. The medic was so scared; it took him a while to even move to help O'Brien. When he did finally get over to O'Brien, he was fumbling with the bandages, and forgot to treat for shock, which is what O'Brien was struggling with, and what could have killed him. O'Brien wanted revenge on Jorgenson for not only this, but the gangrene he experienced after, and the final result of his injury; being taken out of Alpha Company. O'Brien did not take to being out of the group lightly; he was very upset and angry at Jorgenson. These feelings only increased when the Alpha Company, and Jorgenson, returned to the base. O'Brien finally got a chance to talk to Jorgenson, but he still felt like something was missing, and that Jorgenson really needed to feel how it was like. This, lead to O'Brien and Azar going out late at night to scare Jorgenson. They mad noise makers and shook them and set off flares. To top this off, they made a dummy out of a flour bag. Jorgenson though, saw straight threw it, and knew O'Brien was behind it. The war really changed O'Brien. Before the war, he let a lot more go, and wouldn't have been as cruel to Jorgenson.
ReplyDeleteI think what O'Brien means by the quote "When you're afraid, really afraid, you see things you never saw before, you pay attention to the world," is that when you're very paranoid and every one of your senses is heightened. You notice things that may have not been any bother to you because you are so scared of everything and anything. O'Brien was shot two times. The first time Rat Kiley helped him and treated his wounds and shock. The second time he was shot Rat Kiley was not the medic anymore and they got a new medic named Bobby Jorgenson. He did not treat O'Brien fast enough and he couldn't treat his shock, there fore O'Brien was in a lot of pain and suffered. He wanted revenge on Jorgenson so that he could feel the same way as he did when he got shot and taken away from his friends so he messed with him a lot. When O'Brien was reassigned he was taken away from all of his friends and he blamed it on Jorgenson. During the war O'Brien transformed from a thoughtful, caring person to a man who was cruel and relentless.
ReplyDeleteThe quote "When you're afraid, really afraid, you see things you never saw before, you pay attention to the world." I think that this quote is accurate . What we fear most is fear itself.
ReplyDeleteWhen O'Brien is injured in war, Rat Kiley came back to help him, more then Bobby Jorgenson. When O'Brien was taken out of the war for being shot he blamed it on Jorgenson for not helping him, he decided to take revenge out on Jorgenson. When his men from Alpha company returned to base he realizes that he is no longer part of the family and he is left out now that they like Jorgenson, which made him hate Jorgenson even more. At night they messed around with Jorgenson, allowing his imaginaton to freak him out. After they scared Jorgenson they decided that they were even.
When the narrator of the story "The Ghost Soldiers" says, "When you're afraid, really afraid, you see things you never saw before, you pay attention to the world." He means to say that when you are already in a state of fright you start to become more cautious and alert of everything going around you. Regarding to the novel, O'Brien is reflecting on his past war experiences when he was close to death and explains the rare feeling you get and new perspective on life at that moment in time in dangerous situations. O'Brien gets shot two times in the novel. The first time O'Brien gets shot Rat Kiley treats him and he is very good at what he does as well as taking care of O'Brien. The second time he gets shot however, Bobby Jorgenson has to take Kiley's place due to an injury that he inflicted on himself. Jorgenson does a very bad job treating O'Brien's wound and it is a very painful experience for him. The experience for O'Brien was so traumatic that he plans to get revenge on Jorgenson for his carelessness. The main reason O'Brien wants to seek revenge on Jorgenson is because his second injury results in his removal from the Alpha Company and when they come back and speak to O'Brien about their war stories he feels very left out and wants to belong again. Azar and O'Brien's plot of setting off flares at Jorgenson's bunk just shows how much O'Brien has changed from the beginning of the war where he was nice and intelligent to now being a revengful coward.
ReplyDelete"When you're afraid, really afraid, you see things you never saw before, you pay attention to the world." When the narrator says this quote, he really means that when a person is scared, they pay attention to every single little detail because your adrenaline starts pumping. While in the army, O'Brien gets shot twice, the first time he is okay and his wounds are taken care of professionally. But, the second time he is shot, it is a very painful recovery and the man who tries to help him is very careless when helping him. O'Brien wants revenge on Jorgenson because he was in so much pain for a very long time because of his lack of caring. When he gets shot the second time he is kicked out of the Alpha Company which makes him angry. Azar's plan to get back at Jorgenson is to set off flares at his bunker. Now O'Brien has changed in a bad way to a spiteful man who doesn't think clearly.
ReplyDeleteThe quote in “The Ghost Soldiers” pertains to your brains mind tricks and how you only think of the worst. One’s paranoia takes over and the fear of the worst possible things happening to you come to life when you are in this state. Especially when you are in a war as terrifying as Vietnam, with all of the unknown conditions, and geographical features the warzone displays. When in danger you really start to think about what is important in life, and what the real world is actually about. In sum, when you are afraid your senses are more alert, and you start notice the little things like a sound in the forest, or a whisper of the wind. Obrien was shot twice, and the first time he was treated by Rat Kiley, who you could tell was poised and did a good job. On the other hand, the second time Obrien got shot Jorgenson had treated him, but he had forgot to treat him for shock which was a huge mistake, and almost resulted in Obrien’s death. Obrien’s second injury took him out of combat, and away from Alpha Company, and his war friends, and he could not forgive Jorgenson for that. Obrien had deeply wanted revenge, and when Alpha Company came to where he was staying it made it even worse. During Alpha companies stop Obrien had plotted to put his revenge on Obrien. In correlation to the question how has Obrien changed throughout the war, is he used to be this liberal, educated guy, now he is a person that has a temper, and can just be flat out cruel sometimes. War does change people, and Obrien is a good example.
ReplyDeleteWhen the narrator of 'The Ghost Stories' states, "When you're afraid, really afraid, you see things you never saw before, you pay attention to the world." I think the narrator is saying that your imagination will take over when you hear noises you can't see or understand, and that you will imagine things that are worse than what is probably there. The injury that Tim O'Brien had was a shot in the rear. The reason Tim O'Brien wanted revenge on Bobby Jorgenson is that while Tim O'Brien laid there shot Bobby Jorgenson took ten minutes to get to Tim O'Brien. Once he got there Booby Jorgenson did a awful job stitching up his wound, and forgot to treat for shock which almost killed Tim O'Brien. When Tim O'Brien was reassigned from the heat of battle to the base he misses all his friends from Alpha Company. When Alpha Company comes to the base Tim O'Brien feels a separation between him and his friends because he is no longer in combat. In O'Brien's meeting with Jorgenson, Jorgenson apologizes but Tim O'Brien doesn't accept the apology. Instead, O'Brien decides to get his revenge on Jorgenson. O'Brien and Azar's plan is to pop flares around Jorgenson's lookout at night in order to really scare him. Tim O'Brien changed from wanting nothing to do with the war to being consumed with the war.
ReplyDeleteWhile reading the quote, I believe the narrator means that when you’re afraid, you start to see the little things in life. People start to notice the things that they take for granted before fear took over them. O’Brien’s injuries were much deeper once you looked past the physical issues, they were mental injuries. O’Brien became hollow and less compassionate for other people. For example, O’Brien has been in the war longer than Bobby, so when he was shot, O’Brien expected Bobby to act like Rat and tend to his wounds right away. Instead, Bobby reacted slowly, messed up the patch job, and even forgot to treat for shock. These were just rookie mistakes but O’Brien overlooked it which is why he wanted revenge on Bobby Jorgenson so badly. Eventually, O’Brien gets reassigned which makes him feel left out and unappreciated. However, when the Alpha Company returns, he listens to their stories, particularly about a soldier who, after going for a swim, contracted a disease that was later treated by Jorgenson. O'Brien still wanted to get back at him, but Sanders advised against it. When O’Brien and Jorgenson talk about what has happened, Jorgenson apologizes but does not seem sincere. O’Brien continues to hate Jorgenson which leads to him and Azar to scaring him. Jorgenson and O’Brien talk again after the prank and they both call truce. Like most men O’Brien knows that war has turned him into a cold killer. Before the war he had been a college student taking his first steps into the new world ready to begin his life but everything that he had been was changed in war.
ReplyDeleteI believe that this quote is talking about the paranoia that infects a person when they start to be afraid of something. They begin to think that the thing they fear is everywhere and their senses heighten. They get paranoid and their fear keeps growing and growing and that fear becomes more apparent because the person is looking for it in a way. For example, people that are frightened of spiders find them everywhere because they're always worried about finding them. O' Brien wants revenge on Jorgenson because he was careless with O'Brien's treatment for his gunshot wound. This carelessness causes O'Brien serious pain and suffering and because the war has changed him, O'Brien wants nothing but revenge. O'Brien is reassigned away from his friends and comrades and his is upset when they are reunited because he feels detached from them. This fuels his hatred for Jorgenson further and he plans his revenge. With Azar's help, O'Brien successfully scares Jorgenson and the men call a truce. O'Brien had coldness in his heart and wouldn't stop until he had his revenge on Jorgenson. The war atmosphere and all the killing and hatred surrounding him turned O'Brien into a vengeful and unforgiving man, something that he did not want to turn into.
ReplyDeleteWhen you’re afraid, or near death, suddenly the little things, that never seemed all that important, are what matters most. You appreciate the flowers, the air, the beauty that surrounds you. All these things become so important because you realize that you may never see them again. O’Brien was shot twice, and the second time Jorgenson happened to be the acting medic. When O’Brien was shot, Jorgenson was too afraid to administer aid to him, and when Jorgensen finally reached him, he botched the job, and O’Brien nearly died because of it. O’Brien holds a grudge against Jorgenson for this, and feels the need to make him pay, to make Jorgenson feel the same kind of fear O’Brien felt as he was bleeding to death. O’Brien is relatively relieved to be assigned to “cushy duty,” away from the worst of the danger. But when his company is on leave at the base, O’Brien feels how alienated he is from his old company. He hasn’t shared the past months’ dangers with them, and without the constant fear of death to bind him to the group, he is an outsider. O’Brien confronts Jorgenson, where Jorgenson does not make any excuses for the wrong he did to O’Brien, and apologizes like a man. O’Brien isn't satisfied with this, still feeling the need for revenge. O’Brien asks Azar to assist him in scaring the wits out of Jorgenson. One night, while Jorgenson is on guard duty, Azar and O’Brien work to make it seem as if there is something haunting Jorgensen, successfully playing with his mind and terrifying him. O’Brien begins to get cold feet, but Azar makes him go through with the whole, twisted plan. Throughout the war, O’Brien has become hardened, and he no longer feels empathy or sympathy, which is what allows him to play the cruel joke on Jorgenson.
ReplyDeleteWhen you are really scared, every moment seems like it may be the last of your life, so you start to pay attention to the beauty that the world offers. O’Brien states this as being something as little as a blade of grass, but creates a bigger idea that when you are scared or paranoid that something really bad may happen, or even death will occur, you start to remember and think about all the things you have taken for granted in your life. During the war, O’Brien was shot twice. The second time he was shot in the butt and Bobby Jorgenson was the new medic on the squad and “was green and incompetent and scared” (190). It ended up taking Jorgenson about 10 minutes to even get over to O’Brien and treat him. He forgot to treat O’Brien for shock, which almost ended up killing him. O’Brien ended up being moved from the hospital to Headquarters Company, which meant he was out of the fighting portion of the war. Here he decided he wanted revenge on Jorgenson and wanted him to feel the pain he felt. He wanted to hurt him. After being reassigned away from the heat of the battle, the men of the Alpa Compay return to base they seem distant from him. He felt like a civilian around the guys he used feel like brothers with. When Jorgenson and O’Brien met, he apologized for the mistake he made of not treating him right away. O’Bien wanted to call it even because he looked so sad, but ended up making a plan with Azar to scare Jorgenson. They made noisemakers and attached them to ropes and lit off flares to mess with his head, it worked at first but at the end of the night, Jorgenson knew it was them. This is an example of how the war changed O’Brien from and innocent and caring boy to a more brutal kind of man.
ReplyDeleteI think that the quote refers to the fact that when you are scared you tend to imagine or over exaggerate things that you see or hear. For example, when I used to go down into my basement when I was little. If the lights were on I felt no reason to be scared, but as soon as I was down there with the lights off however, I felt the need to run upstairs to avoid whatever unseen force I sensed in the dark. While O'Brien was in the war, he was shot in the side and also in the rear end. But the second time, Jorgenson was the active medic and froze up when the firefight started, being unable to treat O'Brien and causing extra complications to the wound. O'Brien held a grudge against Jorgenson after the incident. When O'Brien was assigned to Headquarters he felt safe, but he also misses Alpha Company and the adventure and danger. When Alpha Company comes to Headquarters he is not treated like one of the guys and this upsets him. O'Brien and Azar plan to scare Jorgenson when he is on watch duty at night by using sound makers, trip flares, and a suspended, white sandbag. At the beginning of the war O'Brien was not used to the gore and the dark humor of most soldiers, but he later fit right in. After he got shot however, he was reassigned and left an outcast to Alpha Company. His experiences in Vietnam will always leave a mark on who O'Brien is.
ReplyDeleteWhen O'Brien says "When you're afraid, really afraid, you see things you never saw before, you pay attention to the world" means that when someone is afraid you tend to pay more attention to details and what is actually happening. Whereas if you were not afraid you would glance it all over. O'Brien suffered from two injuries. Both were gun shot wounds. The second one made him frustrated with Jorgenson because he didn't treat him in an orderly manner. As the war went on, O'Brien grew. Not just physically but mentally and emotionally. Before he first started out in the war he was a college student just beginning his journey out into the "real" world. When he was in the war he had to deal with death and overall being in a place of stress, which makes you grow more as a person.
ReplyDeleteO'Brien's meaning behind that quote is simply that when you're afraid for your life you notice things that you've never noticed before, you see things differently. He explains that while in war, simple things like a blade of grass make you think of everything you've taken for granted in your life. During the war O'Brien was shot twice. When he was shot for the second time Bobby Jorgeson was the new metic and it took a little while for him to even treat O'Brien. When Jorgenson finally gets to O'Brien he forgot to treat him for shock and that almost cost O'Brien his life. When O'Brien is reassigned away from the heat of the war he decides he wants revenge on Jorgenson and wants him to feel the pain he had to deal with. However; when they actually meet O'Brien changes his mind because Jorgenson looked so sad while he was apologizing that he didn't treat O'Brien soon enough. O'Brien still makes a plan with Azar to scare Jorgenson. They used noisemakers and flares to mess with Jorgenson's head. Jorgenson knew it wars them. It showed that O'Brien has become a lesser man due to the war.
ReplyDeleteI think the quote means that fear really makes a person understand the things that they would just pass by without looking at twice. O’Brien’s first injury was taken care of right away by Rat Kiley. When O’Brien returned to Alpha Company after recovering, Rat Kiley got wounded and a new medic named Bobby Jorgenson came to replace him. When O’Brien was shot a second time, this time in the butt, Jorgenson took almost ten minutes to come over and fix the wound. O’Brien wanted revenge on Jorgenson for this because he wanted him to feel the pain and suffer like he had to while waiting to get help. O’Brien didn’t like being reassigned. When the men from Alpha Company returned, O’Brien was waiting to greet them. He listened to the stories that the men had to tell but didn’t feel as close to them as he had when he was out in the battle field with them. When O’Brien met with Jorgenson, Jorgenson explained why he didn’t help right away. He kept telling himself to move and go help but he just couldn’t handle it. Jorgenson made O’Brien feel guilty and he hated him for that. O’Brien’s guilt wasn’t enough to stop him from wanting revenge on Jorgenson. O’Brien turned to Azar for help and together they came up with a plan. They set up some ropes and flares just to scare Jorgenson. Before the plan was over, O’Brien wanted to stop but Azar wanted to keep going until the plan was finished. O’Brien went into the war as a college grad and after a few months he realized that he turned mean inside.
ReplyDeleteThe quote could be saying that when you're afraid, every little thing could be a potential threat. You over-analyze and over-think and drive yourself mad with things that scare you. O'Brien was shot twice in the war. First in the side, which was taken care of by Rat Kiley, an experience medic. The second time O'Brien was shot, it was in his rear and it was, new medic, Bobby Jorgenson's first time dealing with a gun shot wound. Jorgenson was so too nervous to get to O'Brien in time and didn't exactly know how to address or treat the wound. Due to this, O'Brien suffered from shock. O'Brien wanted revenge on Jorgenson because he wanted him to feel the same type of suffering and helplessness that he had felt. Since O'Brien was shot again, he had to be reassigned to a different aspect of the war. When this happened, O'Brien felt safer where he was but missed his old duty. He no longer shared a bond with the guys from Alpha Company. When they came to Headquarters, they treated him like he didn't fit in. It was a simple fact, O'Brien wasn't a solider anymore. Deep down, O'Brien feels like this is Jorgenson's fault, which fuels his hatred. Jorgenson tries to step up and apologize to O'Brien. He waits for O'Brien after work one day and essentially asks for his forgiveness. O'Brien stops hating Jorgenson at this point, but still wants revenge. He asks Azar to help him because he is probably the only one willing to. The two of them rig up ropes and flares to scare Jorgenson when he is on night duty. O'Brien knows that as a solider, you become very attentive to everything around you when it's dark. Azar and O'Brien have different phases of the plan to make Jorgenson tense throughout the night. O'Brien has changed throughout the war because he had turned cold, even cruel at times. "There was that coldness inside me. I wasn't myself. I felt hollow and dangerous" (197).
ReplyDeleteWhen you are scared about something and your life flashes in front of you, you come to realize all of the good things that life has to offer. Small things like flowers and the breeze, you notice things that you wouldn't normally just because of the mere fact that you over dramatize things when you are scared or nervous. Which is what I think that O'Brien is trying to say when he says "The Ghost Soldiers" says, "When you're afraid, really afraid, you see things you never saw before, you pay attention to the world." When O'Brien was shot during the war he called for a medic due to his serious wounds. His first shot wound was taken care of fine but the second wound wasn't. When Jorgenson, the medic on the scene at the time of the incident, came to inspect the injury he was to nervous about providing O'Brien the right treatment that he actually didn't give him what he needed to take care of his wound properly. After the incident O'Brien was in severe pain for quite some time. He also got switched out of fighting in the war to a more calm part of working. After this he felt left out of his friends and felt as if he didn't belong anymore. Due to his pain and neglectful treatment that caused it he wanted revenge on Jorgenson. Although Jorgenson does apologize, O'Brien is still flustered by the fact that he had to suffer and change his life even more due to Jorgenson's hasty decision. So O'Brien and his friend Azar make up a plan to spook Jorgenson as he is on night watch. They attach noise makers and flares to ropes convincing Jorgenson that there is an attack. After some time Jorgenson realizes that it is O'Brien and Azar. This incident alone shows how the war has changed O'Brien from a kind man to a cruel man.
ReplyDeleteI think that the quote "When you're afraid, really afraid, you see things you never saw before, you pay attention to the world" means that when you're afraid or scared you pay more attention to the details in the world because your adrenaline suddenly kicks in and you become more alert to things around you! O'Brien was shot twice during the war. The first time he was shot Rat Kiley treated his wound and did a good job. The second time O'Brien was shot Jorgenson had treated him, but he was very careless when helping him. The reason why O'Brien wants to seek revenge on Jorgenson is because his second injury (causing him lots of pain) which resulted in his removal from the Alpha Company. Azar and O'Brien's plan for revenge with Jorgenson is to set off flares at his bunker. This shows a definite change in O'Brien from the beginning of the war because now he is seeking revenge which in my opinion is cruel.
ReplyDeleteThe quote “When you’re afraid, really afraid, you see things you never saw before, you see pay attention to the world”, means to me that when you are really scared to start to hear and pay attention to things around you that you never noticed when you weren’t scared. Your fear heightens and you start imagining things that are worse than what they really are and the little sounds start to become clearer.
ReplyDeleteO’Brien was shot twice during his time in battle. The second time he was shot in the butt which almost cost him his life because he almost died from shock. Bobby Jorgenson, the new medic that took over for Rat Kiley, took a long time to get to O’Brien because he was scared because this was his first fire power battle. Jorgenson was so scared that he forgot to treat O’Brien for shock. The injury resulted in O’Brien being reassigned out of battlefield and doing a job that is safer for him. From that point on O’Brien hated Jorgenson because he felt that Jorgenson took him away from his friends, the battle, and almost cost him his life. When the Alpha Company returns O’Brien soon realizes that he has been replaced and that he doesn’t belong so he sets out to seek revenge on Jorgenson. This just shows how much O’Brien has changed because at the beginning of the war he was innocent and caring, and now he is willing to pull a very dangerous prank on someone just for revenge.
Fear has a way of making you more aware of your surroundings. You become alert and you notice new things. You aren't sure what the real threat is, so you take everything in. Even the softest of noises catch your attention. I think that is what the quote from "The Ghost Soldiers" means. In the war O'Brien gets shot twice. The first time he gets shot, the medic is Rat Kiley who is very experienced and takes care of O'Brien very well. The second time they have a new medic, Bobby Jorgenson. When he gets shot, Bobby is so nervous that he is unable to do his job right which inflicts even more injury. This takes O'Brien out of the war, and because of all of that he wants to get revenge on Bobby. He wants to make him feel what he felt. When the rest of the men return to base O'Brien notices a change in how they relate to him. He is an outsider now because of his time away from war and this makes him more upset. In his meeting with Bobby, O'Brien is very determined to hold his grudge, even though in the end all he can say is that he hated the guy for making him not hate him anymore. O'Brien and Azar's revenge plan was just to scare Bobby, but it doesn't work because Bobby figures it out. Towards the end of this chapter, O'Brien realizes that he is no longer a quiet, thoughtful, and intelligent person he is now dark, cold, and cruel.
ReplyDeleteWhat I took from the narrator saying, "When you're afraid, really afraid, you see things you never saw before, you pay attention to the world." Is that when people are afraid they tend to create more scenarios in their heads and start to scare themselves more by their thoughts than what they were originally afraid of. The first time O’Brien is injured he was shot in the side and Rat Kiley the medic took really good care of him on the field and continuously was checking on him to make sure he was still with it and not going into shock or anything. The second time he got shot was a completely different story because the new medic was Bobby Jorgenson and he was quite new at this job and basically panicked when he saw that O’Brien had been shot in the butt. As a result of Jorgenson panicking O’Brien went into shock and had major issues recovering from the wound.
ReplyDeleteO’Brien didn't seem terribly upset by being reassigned to a safer environment, but he did miss his buddies that were in the Alpha Company because he had formed a bond with them. When the Alpha Company returns to the base that O’Brien is at he senses a change and is even told by a former company member that it isn't the same between all of them anymore they haven’t been through all of the same stuff and now O’Brien isn't out on the field anymore so everything is different, but they will still be friends. O’Brien is still quite ticked off with Bobby Jorgenson when he saw him at the camp, which in all fairness I believe the man has the right to be. He almost lost his butt because of that guy and has had a lot of repercussions because of the wound. However, the amount of time and effort that O’Brien and Azar put into getting back at Bobby Jorgenson was ridiculous and a bit juvenile for my taste. I believe O’Brien has changed from the scared young man that came over to Vietnam who didn't want to leave his home or the comforts that it offered to someone who has killed a man and is not afraid to step on some toes. He has obviously grown up quite a bit and had to learn some very tough life lessons and witnessed things that only make a person grow up.
The quote from “The Ghost Soldier” means that when you’re afraid you begin to pay more attention to little things that normally wouldn’t bother you. When you’re afraid your anxiety causes your senses to become amplified and your mind plays tricks on you. It causes you to view the world differently and you see and hear every little thing that goes on.
ReplyDeleteDuring the war O’Brien gets shot twice. The first time is easily taken care of by Rat Kiley. The second shot nearly kills him just due to shock because Bobby Jorgenson is too afraid to come help him. By Jorgenson not helping O’Brien in time it causes O’Brien to develop an infection on his butt that causes him pain and lost sleep. The infection causes O’Brien to be pulled from the field and this is why he wants revenge on Bobby Jorgenson. O’Brien is upset by having to leave his company and when they come to the base O’Brien feels like he isn’t a part of the group and is now an outsider to them. When O’Brien and Jorgenson meet Jorgenson says he is sorry and holds out his hand but O’Brien doesn’t take it and is now upset that he can’t continue to hate Jorgenson but still feels the need to seek revenge. O’Brien and Azar’s plan on revenge is to set up all these contraptions and scare the living daylights out of Jorgenson while he is on watch. They make noises in the dark that sound like they could be people in the woods and this freaks Jorgenson out. It was a very cruel trick. Throughout the war O’Brien has changed from this timid boy who won’t even look at a dead body to this man who will go to the extreme just to get revenge on a mistake.
"When you're afraid, really afraid, you see things you never saw before, you pay attention to the world." The quote means, when you're afraid, you start noticing things you have never seen before. When you're in fear, you start to become defensive, which makes you start to notice more of your surroundings.
ReplyDeleteDuring the war O'Brien gets shot twice. The first time he is treated by Rat Kiley and is successful. The second time he gets treated by Bobby Jorgenson, which he almost died from due to the fact Jorgenson forgot to treat him with shock. In result to Bobby's treatment, O'Brien gets a rash which causes him to be pulled from the field. That is why O'Brien wants revenge on Bobby Jorgenson. Leaving Alpha company makes O'Brien start to become upset. When they arrive at the base, O'Brien starts to feel like he is becoming an outsider. When Jorgenson meets O'Brien he tries to apologize, but O'Brien shuts him down. Azar and O'Brien then make a plan to set off flares it Jorgensons bunk. This goes to show that O'Brien has changed throughout the novel. He goes from a scared boy to a man that will go to extreme measures to get revenge on the people that deserve it.
In “The Ghost Soldiers” the narrator portrays different feelings towards different emotions, and when you are scared you may look at things in a different perspective than if you were happy. O'brien was not satisfied with Jorgenson as he was with Rat because Jorgenson waited until the last minute to treat his butt wound, and even then he didn’t treat him right. O'brien was also not pleased with being away from battle and being in constant pain from his wound, and when he returned to the compound, he was sure he was going to strike revenge on Jorgenson. O'brien tries to coax some of his war buddies into helping him seek revenge, however, only Azar accepts to helping him. Their plan was to just scare Jorgenson by using ropes, flares, a white sand bag, and smoke/tear gas grenades to make an assortment of things happen by the bushes in front of the bunker. At the end of the war, O'brien had been emotionally altered, and wrote all the stories from the war to separate himself from all of the past recollections.
ReplyDeleteI feel that the narrator of "The Ghost Soldiers", when he said "When you're afraid, really afraid, you see things you never saw before, you pay attention to the world." meant that when you're truly scared your sense heighten. An adrenaline rush of sorts.
ReplyDeleteO'Brien wanted revenge against Jorgenson because of a wound he received in a firefight, a bullet lodged in his butt. Jorgenson, the new medic, didn't treat the wound soon enough or properly, so O'Brien nearly died of shock. O'Brien was reassigned due to his injury, being sent to a base nearby. When Alpha Companay returned he felt a bit ostracized, since he had not been with them for so long. Jorgenson, who had become well liked amongst Alpha Company, was on guard duty one night when O'Brien and Azar used a pully system hooked to several ammo cases to make noise, whilst setting off some flares, and finally having a sand bag fly out in front of Jorgenson.
I'd have to say the war has made O'Brien more bitter, but he simultaneously realizes this and feels bad about it.
The narrator of “The Ghost Soldiers” means that when you’re really, truly scared, your adrenaline kicks in. Adrenaline keeps you on your toes, making you aware of every detail in your surroundings. You’re so scared your body is forcing you to acknowledge everything you didn’t see before. During the war, O’Brien was shot in the butt and waited for Bobby Jorgenson to help. By the time Jorgenson finally came over, O’Brien was in shock and nearly dead. He wants revenge on Jorgenson because getting shot shouldn’t be humiliating, but it was for O’Brien. The nurses made up a nickname for his injury, and he had to spend a month on his stomach—he was a back-sleeper before. O’Brien wants to get back at Jorgenson because he almost killed Tim. When he was reassigned, O’Brien didn’t mind it. He felt safe and believed that the third times the charm (regarding being shot), but he missed the action and danger of the war and being out there. When Alpha Company returns to base, O’Brien knew he was still close to the men, but not as close as when he was with them in the wild of the war. He felt like a civilian compared to the men. O’Brien no longer had that connection, like being part of the family. When he does meet with Jorgenson, O’Brien doesn’t believe a word he says, and doesn’t listen to Jorgenson’s excuses. O’Brien is still angry after Jorgenson apologized so he gets Azar to help him pull a prank on Jorgenson. They want Jorgenson to think that the enemy is out there but in the end he knows that it was O’Brien. Before the war and Vietnam, O’Brien was quiet and thoughtful but now he was cruel and cold inside.
ReplyDeleteWhat I got from the quote, "When you're afraid, really afraid, you see things you never saw before, you pay attention to the world." is somewhat like how when someone watches a scary movie and later that night is startled by a noise that's always been there.
ReplyDeleteO'Brien was shot twice during the war. The reason he wanted revenge on Jorgenson because when he was shot, Jorgenson did not know how to react since he was new, and took too long to get to O'Brien. O'Brien almost died and decided he wanted to get revenge on Jorgenson. When they meet, Jorgenson apologizes but O'Brien still wants revenge and pairs up with Azar to come up with a plan. Their plan for revenge was setting up booby-traps and such to scare Jorgenson the was O'Brien was scared because of him.
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ReplyDeleteDuring the war O’Brian got shot twice. The second time he was shot Bobby Jorgenson was the doctor that was supposed to be taking care of him; however Jorgenson lost his cool and was too afraid to take care of O’Brian. This made O’Brian have a tougher time heeling from the gun shot wounded and resulted in him having to move out of the heat of the war. Even though O’Brian was moved to a safer group he was upset because he felt like he was missing out of all the action, and no longer was the story teller but the listener. When the men of the Alpha Company returned to base O’Brian was upset to find that the men now see Jorgensen as part of the family but no longer O’Brian. O’Brian then seeks revenge. He teams up with Azar and decides to mess with Jorgensen in the woods, by messing with his senses. O’Brian changed threw all of this and the war because he now seeks revenge to make up for his hurt.
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ReplyDeleteFear takes over the mind. Once it becomes present in a persons life it builds upon itself. It makes a person imagine that bad things are bound to happen at all times.
ReplyDeleteThe quote “When you’re afraid, really afraid, you see things you never saw before, you pay attention to the world” speaks for itself. Fear makes a person believe that the worst is about to happen. Negative thought after negative thought runs through their mind when they’re afraid.
Death is eminent in all lives of every soldier in any war. They are on guard at all times. Each sound heard becomes the enemy with a gun, when in reality it could be a squirrel scampering in the woods. Jorgenson experiences all of these feelings when O’Brien gets revenge on him. His senses strengthen. He pays attention to every detail because fear overcomes him. After being in Vietnam the men change. Jorgenson had already went through this process. Every noise and shadow was the enemy, and he could take no chances. Therefore when Jorgenson was in fear for his life O’Brien knew how scared he was and that was enough revenge for him.
After having such a skilled medic like Rat Kiley, O’Brien was expecting the exact same thing out of Jorgenson. Unfortunately, this was not the case. After Jorgenson poorly treats O’Briens injuries and causes him to be away from the rest of his platoon, he feels no sympathy for the frightened medic, and only wants revenge. He too was changed by the war. On top of being angry because of the physical pain he was forced to endure. He was also very frustrated because due to the separation with the rest of the men, things changed when he came back. He was no longer part of the pact. This betrayal made him want nothing but to get even with Jorgenson.
Thoughts of revenge would have never crossed his mind before the war. The war changed his outlook on life. It made him think only of himself. Vietnam turned a caring and innocent boy into a ruthless man. O’Brien wasn’t the only victim either.
What sticks out to me when the narrator says "when you're afraid, Really afraid, you see things you never saw before, you pay attention to the world" is that when you get put in a situation where your afraid, it's almost like your mindset is completely different. You then appreciate things so much more. You realize what you truly are gifted with.
ReplyDeleteDuring the war O'brien was shot twice, once was in Tri Binh, he had very urgent medical attention by his medic Rat Kiley, but the second time he got shot was at song tra bong in the butt. When he did, there was a new medic named Jorgenson, he "was no Rat Kiley" (181). It took Jorgenson 10 minutes to come and help O'brien, that which then almost killed him due to shock which Jorgenson forgot to treat for. This created a tension to Jorgenson from O'brien.
When O'brien finds out he had to be re-assigned from the battle he wasnt too mad about it. He really mostly just missed the action. But when his friends from the alpha company returned he felt distant and not equal to them. He felt like he was a civilian while they were war heros. Also he talked about how you get a close bond out in the warfield, and he felt like he lost that. When Jorgenson and O'brien met he apologized for his poor assistance when O'brien was shot, yet he still wanted to get his revenge. So O'brien met with Azar and while Jorgenson was on "watch" they made loud noises with cans and such attached to ropes and set off flares. They scared Jorgenson for a little bit until the end when he knew it was them.
I believe that war has changed O'brien a lot, from when in the beginning he talked about how he wanted to run away and not go into the war till when he almost couldnt get enough of it. I think it also changed him by giving him almost an evil side to him, a side that wanted "revenge" and wanted "the thrill of being out in the battle".
In the chapter “The Ghost Soldiers” the narrator says “When you’re afraid, really afraid, you see things you never saw before, you pay attention to the world.” He is talking about an adrenaline rush, which cause heightened senses, high energy levels, and heavy breathing. O'Brien was experiencing a rush during battle when he was shot. The first time he was shot Rat Kiley, an experienced and skilled medic, handled his wound effortlessly. The second time Kiley was recovering in Japan and his replacement Bobby Jorgenson was supposed to help him. The second gun wound was never treated correctly and resulted in O'Brien going into shock and contracting gangrene. While in the hospital healing O'Brien began to plot revenge against Jorgenson because he couldn't help him the way Kiley did the first time and he was left to suffer in the hospital because of his inexperience. O’Brien’s unit visiting the Headquarter Company upsets him tremendously. He misses being out in the action and excitement of open war and realises his friends no longer consider him one of them. While the Alpha company are at base O’Brien plots to get back at Jorgenson and has Azar agree to help him with it. The two sneak up on Jorgenson while he is on all-night duty and set up flares to go off in nearby bushes to make it look like enemy soldiers attacking. O’Brien starts to feel sympathetic to Bobby Jorgenson but remembering his wounds continues on with their plan. Jorgensen walks towards them and calls out O’Brien’s name, Azar flees and Bobby Jorgenson and O’brien shake hands.
ReplyDeleteIf you've ever had a near death experience, you know what O'Brien is talking about when he says, “When you’re afraid, really afraid, you see things you never saw before, you pay attention to the world.” When death is so near that you can feel it, you see the world more clearly. Time slows down, all the small problems suddenly don't matter, and the only thing you're worried about is surviving. That "feeling" is caused by adrenaline pumping through your veins and you heart rate accelerating to where it can almost beat out of your chest. This feeling is caused by the brains instinct to do one thing: survive. Pain doesn't matter, thought doesn't matter, the only thing going through your head is the will to live. When O'Brien's first gun wound is treated by the medic Rat Kiley there is no problems, but the 2nd gun wound is treated by Kiley's replacement Jorgenson and he does not treat it properly. Thus, O'Brien's wound becomes infected and he must be hospitalized. O'Brien is angry that Jorgenson couldn't tend the wound like Kiley did and plots revenge on him. When Alpha Company returns to base, O'Brien is deeply troubled. He wishes he could be out there on the battlefield with his friends and feels like they don't even consider him as one of them anymore. Azar agrees to help O'Brien with his revenge against Jorgenson by setting up flares to go off around him while he is on night duty to make it look like they are under attack from enemy forces. At first, O'Brien is a little unsure about the plan but then remembers his wounds and decides to follow through with it. Jorgenson realizes O'Brien is in the bushes and calls his name, and while Azar flees, O'Brien and Jorgenson shake hands representing a truce.
ReplyDeleteThe quote in "The Ghost Soldiers" meant that when you are afraid your mind makes you even more afraid. It plays tricks on you, creates sounds and images that are not real. This happened to me when I was home alone once. My mind made all the little creaks in the house heighten to where I thought someone else was in the house with me. O'Brien was injured twice, the first time a bullet just skimmed his side and he was able to recover quickly. The second time he was shot in the butt. The second time there was a new medic Jorgenson who was inexperienced and scared. O'Brien almost died of shock because it took Jorgenson 10 minutes to reach him and then he didn't even treat him for shock. O'Brien never got back into action because of this. He wanted to get back at the new medic for not doing his job correctly. O'Brien felt out of the loop when he wasn't in combat, he didn't feel like himself. Then when he met back up with his old members he felt like he didn't even know them because he wasn't apart of their group anymore. When O'Brien met back with Jorgenson it was a awkward and bitter conversation. He felt the need to still get revenge. So he devised a plan with Azar to scare Jorgenson. they used flares and tear gas to make it seem like a ghost was there. After the first flares were lit O'Brien felt bad he knew what Jorgenson was feeling because he had the same feeling when he was shot. Azar kept with the plan until the end though. O'Brien had become more ruthless throughout the war. At the beginning he did not like seeing the dead at all but towards the end he was willing to terribly scare someone.
ReplyDeleteIn “The Ghost Soldiers” O'Brien says “When you’re afraid, really afraid, you see things you never saw before, you pay attention to the world.” Its kind of like if you walked down a dark ally way and you became scared so you get very quiet and focused on all the environment around you. When the possibility of danger seams to be eminent we become defensive for ourselfs. fear makes people believe that the worst is about to happen. Jorgenson experiences this type of fear when O'Brien and Azar get revenge on him for poor medical treatment and keeping from O'Brien from the rest of the platoon. Because of Jorgensons inexperience O'Brien almost died from shock after being shot. Azar and O'Brien get revenge by setting off flares to make it seem like there were enemies in the bushes. At the beginning O'Brien was a nice, polite guy but during the war something about him changed and he was suddenly someone more cruel who actually wanted revenge and only thought of himself.
ReplyDeleteDuring the novel O'Brien says "When you're afraid, really afraid, you see things you never saw before, you pay attention to the world." When you are experiencing a period of intense fear your mind focuses on all the little things. Your senses become intensified and suddenly you notice things you never would have: small ambient noises, a rush of cool air,the hum of the lighting; all brought on by the beckoning of fear.
ReplyDeleteDuring the war O'Brien was shot two times. The first was treated quickly and successfully and was able to proceed as normal. The second time he was shot he was treated by Jorgenson, an inept medic. Jorgenson failed to treat O'Brien for shock which almost resulted in the lose of his life. O'Brien gets reassigned from his company and is filled with rage and a hunger for revenge. O'Brien plotted revenge on Jorgenson with Azar, and together they carried out their plan by setting off flares to scare Jorgenson into thinking he was under attack. Through the war O'Brien became a changed man. He was transformed from a civil man into an unforgiving person who thought only of himself.
I think that when the narrator of "The Ghost Soldiers" said, "When you're afraid, really afraid, you see things you never saw before, you pay attention to the world,” he means that being scared and afraid, it opens up your eyes and you realize that there is so much more to life, and you want to remember all of the small details because those are what means the most later in life. When Tim O’Brien got shot the second time, and when he was laying there waiting for Bobby Jorgenson to come help plug the wound, he was looking a blade of grass and pebble, and thought that those were going to be the last things he ever looked at, and how something so small and common could mean so much. O’Brien wants revenge on Jorgenson because while he was dying, Jorgenson was too scared to come over and save his life, and when Jorgenson did come over to help, he was nervous and did things wrong so O’Brien almost died and was in shock and ended up getting an infection. When O’Brien was reassigned he felt lonely and missed the men in Alpha Company. When Alpha Company returned to base, there was a noticeable separation between O’Brien and the rest of the troop. While back on base, Jorgenson talked to O’Brien and asked for forgiveness, and O’Brien simply walked away from him. O’Brien and one of his friends from Alpha Company, Azar, plan to get revenge on Jorgenson by scaring him while he was on all-night duty. At the end of that night, O’Brien understands how Jorgenson was feeling and the two become friends. I think that throughout the war O’Brien has grown up and has realized how precious life is and how not to take things for granted.
ReplyDeleteFrom the quote "When you're afraid, really afraid, you see things you never saw before, you pay attention to the world," I interpret it as the narrator stating that your senses start playing tricks on you when you're afraid and you become more cautious of your surroundings. Tim O’Brien was shot in his side when he was taken care of by Rat Kiley and later shot in his behind and eventually went into shock after Bobby Jorgenson, the new medic, didn’t give him as much medical attention as he needed. O’Brien wanted revenge on Jorgenson because he froze up when he went up to O’Brien’s wound and didn’t treat him for shock. He stated that he wanted him to hurt the same way that he hurt. Although he was worry free from anymore bullets and injuries for a while, O’Brien felt left out being sent away for a couple months at a different base. When he finally returned all healed, the Alpha Company didn’t seem to consider him a friend anymore. It’s almost as if O’Brien’s injury caused a change of thought about him in his comrades’ minds.
ReplyDeleteWhen O’Brien ran into Jorgenson, Jorgenson apologized for freezing up and blamed it on his legs not working. He explained the feeling as if his legs were filled with sand. His apology was so sincere that it made O’Brien feel guilty. “I hated him for making me stop hating him.” (pg 190). O’Brien and Azar still went through with their plan for revenge anyway. Setting up eight ammo cans filled with rifle cartridges in front of Jorgenson’s bunker was what the pair thought was a good plan. At 0300 hours, Azar set off the first trip flare. After Jorgenson rolled over and grabbed his rifle in fear, O’Brien felt satisfied that he experienced the same terror that he previously experienced.
When it was O’Brien’s first chance to kill someone, he regretted it right away. He thought about how the man’s family would grieve and he analyzed the body of that fallen troop. Later however, when he was given the chance to get revenge, he was ready without a doubt. O’Brien introduced himself as a bashful young man but in this chapter, I see a different side to him. I see a man who can be vengeful but is no longer afraid to hurt someone.
When the narrator of “The Ghost Soldier" says "When you're afraid, really afraid, you see things you never saw before, you pay attention to the world." I think that he means something deeper. I believe he means when you are afraid of something then you begin to imagine the worst scenarios involving that something. I believe that when he says you saw things you had never seen before it means that you start to become your own worst enemy. You scare yourself imagining sounds and figures in the dark. When he says you pay attention to the world I believe that he means you start to notice deeper details. O’Brien’s war injuries were unusual. His first injury occurred when he was in war and he was hit in the side by a bullet. Rat Kiley took care of this injury, checking in on O’Brien and taking care of him like a good medic. O’Brien’s second injury occurred when he was shot in the bottom. This occurred when there was a new medic, Bobby Jorgenson, and O’Brien was not properly cared for. After he was shot he began to bleed everywhere and was going into shock, he was screaming and yelling trying to get words out. While this was going on the medic was watching. He couldn’t bring himself to move or even speak. O’Brien was finally cared for when Bobby could move. After being shot for the second time O’Brien was reassigned away from the heat of the battle. At first he was relieved being able to breathe, and drink, and relax. After a while though he began to miss battle and miss his dear friends. The thought of becoming forgotten by his buddies and left out was overbearing. When the men from Alpha Company return to base O’Brien’s fear of being left out finally becomes reality. At first things are fine but then one of the men tells him that he is no longer part of the group like he used to be. O’Brien’s meeting with Jorgensen when he got back to base was anything but peaceful. Jorgensen waited for him and asked to speak with him and O’Brien complied. Jorgensen tried to explain to him what happened and why he didn’t take care of him the way that he should have. O’Brien wanted to be mad; he did not want to forgive him at all, but after Jorgensen’s speech he couldn’t help but forgive him but would not show it. After the argument O’Brien confronted Azar and told him that he wanted revenge on Jorgensen for leaving him there. They develop a plan to scare him. They set off flares and make creaking noises in the night out by his bunk. They fly a bag of sand over him and Jorgensen shoots at it. Throughout the war O’Brien has changed in many ways. At first he is a young child, scared and able to have fun. After a while he becomes harder and less afraid of death. Towards the end he becomes full of anger, resentment, sadness, and many other negative emotions.
ReplyDeleteThe narrator means that when you are afraid your mind starts wandering into all of the possibilities of the things that could happen to you; on top of your mind thinking that you saw something. which in turn makes you more aware of your surroundings.
ReplyDeleteO'Brien is shot in the side as well as his posterior. When O'Brien was shot in the butt, Bobby Jorgenson didn't know what to do because of his lack of experience in the field. Leading him to forget to treat O'Brien for shock. O'Brien's plan for revenge is to scare Jorgenson while jorgenson is on night watch in bunker 6.
O'Brien didn't mind being being sent away at first, but he soon felt like he was more of a civilian than a soldier. When Alpha company came O'Brien felt as if he were disowned by his own company. He resents Bobby Jorgenson because he is accepted in the company.
When O'Brien finally meets up with Jorgenson, Jorgenson apologizes for what happened when O'Brien was shot. O'Brien and Azar's plan is to scare Jorgenson by shaking ammo containers and setting o flares while Jorgenson is on guard at night.
In the beginning of the war O'Brien is nervous and scared, but through out the war he is slowly broken from the boy that he was when he first joined.
When the narrator says "When you're afraid, really afraid, you see things you never saw before, you pay attention to the world," he means that your body is on high alert and every little detail is noticed. When you're in a life-or-death situation, you absorb everything using all of your senses because anything is a potential danger. This isn't a voluntary action, but part of our basic instincts for survival.
ReplyDeleteDuring the war, O'Brien was shot twice. He was treated by Rat Kiley the first time, who quickly tended to his wounds and did a successful job. The second time, he had to be treated by Bobby Jorgensen, who was an inexperienced medic who was too afraid to treat him. O'Brien was in shock and thought he was dying, so he wanted to make Bobby Jorgensen feel the same pain he felt at the time. His injury got him re-assigned, making him upset when the Alpha Company returns to base and he realises he's not part of them anymore. He seeks his revenge at this time and he along with Azar torments Jorgensen by scaring him while he's on watch at night. This is a major indication that the war has changed him, because he is now cruel and vengeful, though he was once a caring and sympathetic man.
Fear alerts your senses, making you notice every little thing that you wouldn't when you're feeling relaxed or at ease. During a situation where your life could be on the line, each little occurrence is a risk or a threat. Its sort of like an adrenaline rush; suddenly you have "powers" that you didn't before because your body is alerting you that something isn't right. It's a way of self defense but in a natural way.
ReplyDeleteDuring his service in the war, O'Brien is shot twice. The first time he is treated by Rat, whose skill and talent O'Brien grows to respect. However, Rat himself becomes injured and has to go elsewhere and a new medic replaces him. After his second shot, O'Brien has to be treated by this new medic. The new medic cannot treat his shock, making the experience a terrible one for O'Brien. Because of this, he swears that Jorgensen will feel the same way he did. However, because he is injured, he is reassigned and ends up in a less dangerous area. When men return to the base, O'Brien swears revenge again on Jorgensen because he knows he is no longer part of the rank. Azar and O'Brien team up for revenge, scaring Jorgensen while he's on nightwatch. Its clear that the war changed O'Brien by making him a revenge-starved man.
The narrator of “The Ghost Soilder” says "When you're afraid, really afraid, you see things you never saw before, you pay attention to the world," Which means being afraid opens up your eyes and opens your mind to things you have never noticed before. Your senses are more focused to the things your afraid of. Sounds in the house when your afraid immediately turn into someone trying to break in the house. During the war O’Brian was shot twice, the first fist incident, a bullet skimmed his side and he was treated properly and recovered quickly. The second injury was much more severe, O’Brian was shot in the “booty” but this time and new and inexperienced medic named Jorgensen left O’Brian in shock before he came and O’Brian almost lost his life. The shock caused O’Brian not to get back into the war. O’Brian wanted revenge. He wanted to scare the new medic with the help of Azar. O’brian has second thoughts about the “prank” because of the feeling that he had when he was shot and aborts the plan and calls truce with Jogenson
ReplyDeleteThe narrator says "When you're afraid, really afraid, you see things you never saw before, you pay attention to the world". It is stating the you really see things and think things differently when youre afraid. O brien is shot twice during the war, he was treated by Rat and then the new medic. OBrien doesnt like the new medic because he cant handle the military trauma on his head. Obrien wants revenge on Jorgenson and him and Azar team up and scare him while he is on nightwatch. The war has changed Obrien dramatically, he now always begs for revenge
ReplyDeleteThe narrator's quote says to me that you tend to think and act differently when your afraid. Not only that but, like Rat Kiley, you may start to see more... unsettling things that begin to cloud your thoughts and actions. In the case of O'Brien's war injuries, he was shot out near Tri Binh (which was taken care of quickly thanks to Rat Kiley) and in the butt along the Song Tra Bong. With his injury at the Song Tra Bong, the new medic (Bobby Jorgenson) had done a patchy job and, due to this, O'Brien developed gangrene in that area. Due to this, he begins to hate Jorgenson, as he was yelling for a medic for a long while, only to get a patchy job AND to almost die of shock. Afterwards, O'Brien left the battlefield and went to work at the battalion supply center. O'Brien began to miss the action of the battlefield while working and, when Alpha Company came to the center, O'Brien became obsessed with plotting revenge on Jorgenson.
ReplyDeleteDuring there meeting together, Jorgenson felt genuinely sorry for putting O'Brien through the pain he put him through during his injury; however, O'Brien still wanted revenge. Azar and O'Brien ended up messing with Jorgenson at night, making O'Brien feel genuinely sad for him. After that night, he finally made peace with Jorgenson and forgave him. O'Brien changed due to the war, initially entering as a innocent young man, and becoming more of a "tougher and rougher" man.
"When you're afraid, really afraid, you see things you never saw before, you pay attention to the world." This quote shows that when you see the possibility of your life coming to an end, you don’t risk taking anything for granted. You savor every moment you have because you realize that the only time you are assured of is the present. With O’Brien’s first injury he is treated quickly and able to recover with no implications. With the second injury, his life is almost lost because of the incompetent medic, Jorgenson. He is then reassigned, and the anger from Jorgenson’s carelessness festers inside of him. When Alpha Company returns to his base they seem more distant than and not as connected as they had been before. During this time O’Brien started plotting revenge against Jorgenson with Azar by setting off flares to instill the fear of being under attack. The war certainly changed O’Brien. From a selfless man who was fighting for others, to a bitter man who look only for the benefit of himself.
ReplyDeleteWhen people are afraid, their senses become heightened, tuning in loosely for the slightest indication of a threat. However, fear also makes people paranoid. Every sound becomes a monster in the dark or an enemy lining you up in their sights. You begin seeing and hearing things that aren’t really there, simply because you’re afraid those things are there. O’Brien wants revenge on Bobby Jorgensen because he was injured in the posterior during a conflict, and not only almost died due to Jorgensen not checking for shock, but he was humiliated by the rash he would get later, which kept him off his feet and was dubbed ‘diaper rash’ by his nurses. When O’Brien is transferred he is both relieved to feel safe after the peril of the battlefield and a bit sad to be away from the action and adventure. This is only heightened when his former brother’s in arms return and he realizes that his separation from them has alienated him from the group. Jorgenson attempts to make amends with O’Brien, but O’Brien still decides to exact revenge on the medic by terrorizing him in the night. The war changed O’Brien from a nice young man, unlike any other, into someone much crueler and more aware of the evils of the world, and the evils within himself.
ReplyDeleteWhen people are afraid, their senses become heightened, tuning in loosely for the slightest indication of a threat. However, fear also makes people paranoid. Every sound becomes a monster in the dark or an enemy lining you up in their sights. You begin seeing and hearing things that aren’t really there, simply because you’re afraid those things are there. O’Brien wants revenge on Bobby Jorgensen because he was injured in the posterior during a conflict, and not only almost died due to Jorgensen not checking for shock, but he was humiliated by the rash he would get later, which kept him off his feet and was dubbed ‘diaper rash’ by his nurses. When O’Brien is transferred he is both relieved to feel safe after the peril of the battlefield and a bit sad to be away from the action and adventure. This is only heightened when his former brother’s in arms return and he realizes that his separation from them has alienated him from the group. Jorgenson attempts to make amends with O’Brien, but O’Brien still decides to exact revenge on the medic by terrorizing him in the night. The war changed O’Brien from a nice young man, unlike any other, into someone much crueler and more aware of the evils of the world, and the evils within himself.
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ReplyDeleteOn page 183, the narrator of the chapter said, "When you're afraid, really afraid, you see things you never saw before, you pay attention to the world." When I read this quote, I think the narrator is trying to say that you should live every second like it's your last second. I can't even begin to imagine what runs through a soldiers mind, but I'd like to think that they think they only have a second or a minute or even an hour left.
ReplyDeleteO'Brien gets shot twice while being in war. The first time O'Brien was shot, medic Rat Kiley took care of him with great skill. When he returns back to war after his recovery, Rat Kiley had been shot and was replaced by Bobby Jorgenson. When O'brien was shot the second time, Bobby Jorgenson didn't treat him as well as Rat Kiley did. Because of the way Jorgenson treated him, O'Brien was left with a painful near death experience. He decided from hat day on that he would make sure that Jorgenson would feel the exact same way that he felt.
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ReplyDeleteIn this quote from “Ghost Soldier”, the narrator refers to the way one’s senses become more enhanced when afraid, and even more so when faced with death just as Tim O’Brien was when he was shot for the second time in the Vietnam War. While waiting for the new medic, Bobby Jorgenson, to come to his aid, O’Brien began to realize that these moments he spent waiting could be the last ones he spent alive. This caused great fear to arise in O’Brien. I think this quote refers to the realization that O’Brien experienced when he knew that everything he saw or smelled or felt could be the last time he felt these sensations, so he took in as much as he could with the amount of time he has left. O’Brien was shot twice over the course of his time in the Vietnam War; the first time in the side and the second time in the rear. The second time he was shot became problematic because it took nearly ten minutes for the new medic, Bobby Jorgenson, to come with help. O’Brien could have died, and to make matters even worse, Jorgenson sloppily patched up the wound and this led to an infection. O’Brien was reassigned out of combat. When the remaining men returned back to base, O’Brien felt a sense of brotherhood among them that he was no longer apart of. He then decided that at this time he would finally get revenge on Jorgenson for the incident with the wound, so O’Brien grabbed his friend Azar and plotted to spook Jorgenson with flares and the overall night atmosphere of Vietnam. This act of revenge was somewhat out of character for O’Brien. The war changed him in many ways, especially in his morals and judgement. Before the war, O’Brien was a peaceful man who was against the fight. After he entered the fighting, he took the spirit of the war and became hostile, which led to his making the choice of getting revenge on Jorgenson.
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